Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading titled Site Unseen was written by Tim Gustafsson.

After Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, he parachuted into the Russian countryside. A farmwoman

spotted the orange-clad cosmonaut, still wearing his helmet and dragging two parachutes.

Can it be that you have come from outer space? She asked in surprise. As a matter of fact, I have,

he said. Soviet leaders sadly turned the historic flight into anti-religious

propaganda. Gagarin went into space, but he didn't see any God there, their premier declared.

Gagarin himself never said such a thing. As C.S. Lewis observed, those who do not find God

on Earth are unlikely to find him in space. Jesus warned us about

ignoring God in this life. In Luke 16, he told a story of two men who died, a rich man who had

no time for God, and Lazarus, a destitute man rich in faith. In torment, the rich man pleaded with Abraham for his brothers still

on earth. Send Lazarus, he begged Abraham. If someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.

Abraham got to the heart of the problem. If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets,

they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.

Seeing is never believing, wrote Oswald Chambers. We interpret what we see in the light of what we believe.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Luke chapter 16 verses 19 through 31.

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell

from the rich man's table.

Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side.

The rich man also died and was buried.

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